


It Began With a Storm

by ImaKaraTabiHe



Series: Flashwaveweek2017 [5]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cats, Crushes, Day 7, Falling In Love, FlashWave Week 2017, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Separations, Storms, cat!Barry, cat!Len, cat!Mick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 00:23:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12200256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaKaraTabiHe/pseuds/ImaKaraTabiHe
Summary: Sometimes a horrible event leads to good things in the end.





	It Began With a Storm

One of his favorite things to do, was look out the window and watch. He watched as the leaves fell from the trees, as birds chirped overhead. He even liked watching the rain fall onto the plants, drops slipping off the leaves like a fish into water.

He liked watching the outside world.

Of course, Barry liked being inside. His owner was kind and gentle, always seemed to be giving him treats and spoiling him like crazy. It was warm, with plenty of water and food. Safe with Iris and her sometimes-living-there-male-human-friend, Eddie. There were toys, and brushes – Barry _loved_ to be petted and brushed, but sometimes…

Sometimes he wanted to feel the grass underneath his paws, smell the scents that clung to Iris and her sometimes-living-there-male-human-friend, Eddie, when they came inside first hand. Sometimes he wanted to paw at the creatures outside, to play in the flowers and fly through the air after a chase.

But Barry was an indoor cat. He didn't go outside. Iris always caught him when he tried to sneak out the door around her. (Eddie did a few times and Barry made sure he knew that he didn't like it – slash, slash, you know?)

Being inside was nothing compared to the adventures that Barry was positive awaited him outside.  Some days, he dreamed of them. He dreamed of running through the forest, beneath the shades of the trees and bushes, getting pollen in his fur and drinking from a stream instead something that tastes slightly like what Iris called  ' plastic ' .

Barry rested his nose on the window, looking outside. 'If only I could go there…'

His slightly fluffy orange and white tail swished behind with longing. Sighing, he pulled his head back and began to bathe himself, licking his paw and running it over his left ear. Just because he was daydreaming was no excuse not to properly bathe. It was also a chance for him to relieve some of the anxious desire to run through the outdoors.

Lightning crackled throughout the sky in the distance making Barry look up. The low rumbling of thunder soon followed, and Barry could see the change in the air as trees and leaves began to sway in the wind. He heard it hiss through the window.

Iris was due home later. He hoped she'd be safe traveling home. (But he secretly hoped this storm would be enough to cancel his “vet appointment”.) He didn't like riding in that metallic monstrosity that Iris turned up the sounds in. The motion just wasn't right, making him feel ill. Needless to say, he did _not_ enjoy the “vet” trips. Want kind of insane human stabs harmless cats?

Thunder cracked and a tree collapsed under the weather making Barry uneasy. It looked like it was developing into quite a horrible storm. His tail flickered behind him, anxiety spilling over in the appendage.

“Barry?” the door creaked up, making him jump. He hadn't heard Iris arrive. How could he? Barry almost tripped over his own paws, running over to her and welcoming her home as he butted his head against her legs.

Iris reached down and petted him, droplets of rain dripping onto the floor. “Hey, Sweetie. Sorry, I'm late. You wouldn't believe how insane it is out there.”

He followed her as she put her coat up and made herself a nice hot cup of tea. Iris was home. That was all that mattered. Everything would be fine now.

And then the roof fell. Barry screeched in fear as the sounds of the storm blew through the living room. He could hear Iris yelling for him, but he couldn't tell where she was. It was dark and loud and scary…

“Iris!” he yowled, hoping he'd find her as his fur got drenched and branches got stuck in his fur. Barry tried to stay calm and leaped on the tree that had crashed on, trying to find her. “Where'd you go!?”

But he couldn't find her. Claws digging into the wood, he made his way up the tree and onto the roof, slipping on the wet tiles. “Iris!” He narrowed his eyes, looking intently for her.

A flash of light caught his attention and he looked down at the front lawn. Their neighbors were there, holding onto Iris and dragging her away from the destruction. Barry panicked. She was leaving! He didn't want to be left behind!

Barry tried to jump down onto a section of the roof that was broken, but he slid and fell face first into the bush below. He groaned, trying to make himself move. Pain lanced through his paw, but he had to move. He had to.

What felt like moments later, he stumbled out of the bush with his fur sticking every which way. Iris was gone. He saw the red lights of one of the machines drive off into the distance.

“Iris~” Barry cried, ears drooping as he was left alone.

Lightning flashed in the sky as the trees creaked and the thunder rumbled. Barry was soaked through his fur, but he sat there, staring after where Iris had disappeared to.

Finally when his paws were numbed from the cold rain, Barry stood and staggered to the shed that stood untouched in the back lawn. It was slightly raised from the ground and Barry found himself squirming to fit under there. It was a bit wet, but it was still better than being out there.

“Iris...” He felt so alone, shivering in the cold. From his hiding place, Barry watched the storm rage on…

He must've fallen asleep because the next thing he knew the light was shining down. “Fuck, lookit that place. That's one big tree,” some feline meowed.

Barry heard another cat snort. “This is what happens when humans build houses.”

“D'ya think Doll's okay?” the first cat questioned, sounding slightly concerned.

It was silent for a moment before the second cat responded. “Maybe he got away with his owner?”

“Hello?” Barry croaked out from beneath the shed. “Is any cat there?” His ears twitched as he heard paws padding through the wet grass.

The next thing he knew, a furry face found its way, peeking under the shed at him. “Doll!”

Barry jumped, surprised to see a black and dark brown cat looking at him. He yelped when his head connected with the shed's bottom. He stumbled out, hissing in pain and flopped down onto the grass.

“Smoothly done.” Barry looked up to see a grey, sleek cat standing in front of him, ears flicking with amusement.

The ash colored feline peered closely at him. “Ya, okay, Doll?”

Barry frowned. “Doll?” He tilted his head. “Me?” He didn't think he looked like a doll.

“Well, Mick and I don't know your name, so 'Doll' was easier than 'random cat',” the gray cat explained. “I'm Len.” He flicked his tail at the ash colored cat. “That's Mick.”

“Um… I'm Barry,” he replied, curious as Mick looked him over.

“Hurt anywhere, Doll?” Mick inquired.

“Oh, um..” Barry stumbled over his words. He wasn't used to such an attractive feline looking at him so closely. He blushed from his whiskers to the tips of his ears under his fur. “I hit my head…” His paw twinged. “And I think I sprained my paw...”

Without a word, Mick leaned forward and then… _-lick!-_ Barry's body trembled as he felt a tongue bathe his head soothingly. He'd never been groomed by another cat except for his mother! Yet… It felt so nice… His eyes closed and he purred as the tongue continued across his ear and down. 'Sooooo goooddddd…'

“Jeez, Mick,” Len grumbled, without heat. “If you want the fur-ball so bad, why don't you just ask him?”

The tongue was gone and Barry opened his eyes with a soft whine. He wanted to feel it again. He watched Mick bat at Len with his paw in annoyance.

“Oh, come on~” Len danced away from Mick's reach. “You've had a crush on the house-cat since you first saw him at the windowsill.”

Barry blinked. He did? It was hard to believe that a cat so magnificent as Mick had a crush on _him!_ He'd always been told that his fiery fur was too bright. He was too thin, not enough muscle. But Mick was perfect. Barry couldn't help but admire the muscles that his fur outlined.

“You do?” Barry found himself asking.

Mick's tail puffed up, embarrassed. “Yeah,” the cat admitted, nervously.

Barry stares at Mick in disbelief. He licked his lips, tongue running over his sharp teeth for a moment. “Yes.”

The feline just stared back at him. Mick's ears twitched, tail waving behind him in confusion. “What?”

Gathering his courage, Barry leaned close to Mick and _licked_ his cheek. “Yes, I'd like to be with you.”

Dumbfounded, Mick stared at him until Len nudged him forward, pushing his face into Barry's. “Y-you will?”

He looked so utterly adorable to Barry in that moment, the expression as his whiskers swayed… He was beginning to feel a bit like falling… “I need to make sure Iris is okay,” he asserted. He wasn't about to leave her behind, not since Iris had become his human. She'd treated him like family when he'd lost his mother and the rest of the litter in an accident.

Len and Mick exchanged looks before Len shrugged. “Always did wanna live in a fancy house with a human to feed me.”

Mick rolled his eyes. “You just want someone to serve you.”

Snorting, Len defended himself. “As if that's so wrong.”

“You're… coming with me?” Barry hesitantly questioned. He couldn't believe these cats wanted to come with him, to leave the forest behind.

“Wherever you wanna go, we'll go, Doll,” Mick affirmed. Yeah, Barry was more than a little bit struck with the desire to curl up with Mick.

Barry would have to beg Iris to let them stay with him, but… He knew she was weak to his eyes. Devious as it may be, Barry thinks he can get her to say yes. It's just a matter of staring at her and meowing pitifully.

'Yeah… I can do that.'

A car door slammed shut in the front yard. “Barry!” They perked up at the sound of Iris calling his name.

“Iris!” Barry meowed with relief and joy. He almost ran to her, but caught himself and looked back at Mick and Len. “Come on! I'll teach you the ways of using 'The Eyes'!” He bounded over to Mick's side and rubbed up against him with a purr. “I can't wait to live with you.”

“What am I, bird droppings?” Len questioned as he was ignored.

Mick grinned and licked Barry's ear. “You said it, not me.”

Together they padded out into the front yard, meeting Iris, who cried with relief that Barry was alright. She didn't seem to have a problem with taking the two strays in, well, not after she realized how close Barry and Mick were becoming. When they moved into the repaired home, she even let them go outside for a little bit. But no matter where they went, Barry was always snuggled up to Mick's side.

**Author's Note:**

> First off. I am super sorry about how late this is. Things have been kind of crazy between work, and I got drawn into writing a new fanfic... Which is probably going to happen a lot when I write.
> 
> Anyways! I hope you enjoyed this. I'm not sure how it turned out, but I just had to have them as felines. Fluffiness.
> 
> Thank you~


End file.
